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example: The CEO made several positive changes during his first two years with the company, but now people say he's just resting on his laurels.
origin: In Ancient Roman times, a crown made of laurels (from the laurel tree) was a symbol of victory.
(to) turn around one's business
to make a business profitable again; to go from not making profits to being profitable again
example: The telecom company was able to turn around its business by developing a popular new line of services.
(to) roll up one's sleeves
see Lesson 10
(to) get down to business
to start work; to begin discussing the important issues
example: We could talk about last night's baseball game for hours, but let's get down to business and start the negotiation.
team spirit
enthusiasm; enthusiasm about doing something for the group
example: Jill is always organizing company trips and lunches. She's got a lot of team spirit
on board
ready to participate; in agreement
example: Before we agree to sign this contract with our new partner, we'd better make sure our president is on board.
count me in
I will participate
example: You're organizing a farewell party for Christine? Count me in.
note: You may also hear the shorter variation of this expression: I'm in. Example: You're organizing a farewell party for Christine? I'm in.
(to) rally the troops
to motivate others; to get other people excited about doing something; to do something to improve the morale of the employees and get them energized about doing their work
example: After the lay-offs and salary cuts, the airline president organized a meeting to rally the troops and plan for the next year.
note: The verb "to rally" has several definitions, but in this case means to "call together for a common goal or purpose." Troops is an informal way of describing a group of employees. The term comes from the military — a troop is a military unit.
practice the idioms
Fill in the blanks using the following idioms:
track record on board
count me in team spirit
rally the troops turn around our business
throw in the towel working their tails off
Kim: Sales at our Westport furniture store are down by 50 percent this year. I've got a plan to (1). For the month of December, we'll stand on street corners with big signs advertising our store.
Jason: Stand on street corners in this cold weather? Maybe we should just (2) and close the Westport store. Our other five stores are still doing well.
Cindy: Kim, I like your idea. I'm ready to participate. (3)!
Mark: I'm (4) too.
Cindy: I'd be happy to (5) and get all of our other employees to join us, starting with Jason.
Kim: Yeah, Jason. Where's your (6)? Everybody else is going to participate.
Mark: Right, Jason. You're going to feel guilty when everybody else is (7) outside while you're inside drinking coffee and relaxing.
Jason: Okay, I'll do it. I just can't believe that with our excellent
(8), we now have to take such desperate action!
ANSWERS TO LESSON 11, p. 192
Lesson 12
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Let's get down to business.
RUNNING A MEETING
Julia is running a meeting. When Larry and Sally start arguing, Julia has to bring the meeting back under control.
Julia: Let's get down to business. We need to cover a lot of
ground. Our first agenda item is to figure out how we're going to respond to all the complaints we've been getting about our new website.
Larry: Just so we're all on the same page, please give us an overview of the problem.
Julia: In a nutshell, our customers are complaining that it's very difficult to place orders through the new website.
Sally: I think we jumped the gun by not conducting focus groups with our customers before we launched our new website.
Larry: More focus groups? Every time I turn around we're running focus groups! It's gotten out of hand.
Sally: I beg to differ. Focus groups are very important. They help us better understand our customer.
Julia: Well, clearly you two don't see eye to eye on this issue.
Larry: Ha! That's putting it lightly! Focus groups are a waste of time and they...
Julia: Excuse me, let's not get off track here. Does anybody else want to weigh in on the issue at hand?
Carl: If I can put in «y two cents, I agree with Sally that focus groups would've been a good idea.
Julia: Well, enough about focus groups for now. Let's move on to our next agenda item —. planning for our company offsite.
Larry: Wait, I'm not finished talking about the website!
Julia: We can circle back to that at the end of our meeting if we have time. I want to keep us on schedule since I know many of us have another meeting at 11 o'clock.
IDIOMS & EXPRESSIONS - LESSON 12
(to) get down to business see Lesson 11
(to) cover a lot of ground
to discuss many topics; to have a productive discussion
example: That was an excellent meeting. We covered a lot of ground.
(to be) on the same page
see Lesson 5
in a nutshell
in summary; in short
example: I won't go into the details now. In a nutshell, our sales are down 50 percent versus one year ago.
(to) jump the gun
to start doing something too soon or ahead of everybody else
example: The company jumped the gun by releasing a new product before the results of the consumer testing were in.
origin: A runner "jumps the gun" if he or she starts running before the starter's pistol has been fired.
every time I turn around
frequently; too often
example: Every time I turn around, Lisa is checking her stock portfolio on Yahoo. No wonder she never gets any work done.
(to be or to get) out of hand
to be too much; to be out of control
example: Ed has called in sick 10 times this month. The situation is getting out of hand.
I beg to differ
I don't agree (a formal way of telling somebody you don't agree with them)
example: You think Tim has the leadership skills required to run this division? I beg to differ!
(to) see eye to eye
to be in agreement; to have the same opinion
example: Our manufacturing and our marketing people fight with each other all the time. They don't see eye to eye on anything.
that's putting it lightly
that's definitely true; that's for sure; that's an understatement
example: "You were upset when your husband lost his job?" — "That's putting it lightly!"
(to) get off track
to get off the subject; to lose focus; to digress
example: We've gotten off track. This meeting was supposed to be about our new sales strategy, but we ended up talking about Erin's vacation in Spain!
(to) weigh in on
to say something about; to comment on; to express an opinion
example: We'd like you to weigh in on some ideas we have for new products.
the issue at hand
the topic under discussion; what's being talked about now
example: We've somehow gotten off the topic. Let's return to the issue at hand.
(to) put in one's two cents
to offer one's opinion; to give an opinion without being asked example: Let me just put in my two cents and say that I think we should definitely move our manufacturing to China.
(to) move on
1) to proceed
example: It's time we move on to our next topic.
2) to leave a job and do something else
example: Don't feel too bad that you were fired. It was probably time for you to move on anyway.
(to) circle back to
to return to
example: I'd like to circle back to something Maria said earlier in the meeting.
practice the idioms
Choose the best substitute for the phrase or sentence in bold:
1) Jim thinks his company should outsource its customer service
to India, but his boss thinks they should keep it in California.
They don't see eye to eye on the issue.
a) They don't understand the issue.
b) They don't agree on the issue.
c) They agree on the issue.
2) We're going to conduct focus groups so consumers can weigh
in on the design of some of our new products.
a) complain about
b) dictate
c) give their opinion on
I know we're in a hurry to end the meeting, but let me just circle pack to something David said earlier.
a) emphasize
b) return to
c) dismiss
4) Every time I turn around, Ellen and Kelly are chatting.
a) very frequently
b) whenever I turn my back
c) from time to time
5) Let's not jump the gun by buying a new printer before we can
see if the old one can be fixed.
a) let's not act too quickly
b) let's take action now
c) let's be efficient
6) I know many of you have more to say on this issue, but I'm afraid
we're going to have to move on so we can finish this meeting
on time.
a) continue to discuss this
b) leave the conference room now
c) proceed to our next topic
7) Our office expenses are out of hand. We're going to have to
stop spending so much.
a) hard to count
b) written down
c) much too high
8) Calvin covered a lot of ground with his local partners during his
business trip to Tokyo.
a) saw much of the city
b) had successful conversations
c) made a lot of money
ANSWERS TO LESSON 12, p. 192
Lesson 13
|
When filling out order forms, you need to dot yow i's and cross your t's.
DISCUSSING A MISTAKE
is and Todd work for Alpine Design, a furniture manufacturer. When Todd accidentally orders the wrong amount of wood, his boss, Chris, warns him to be more careful in the future.
Chris: Todd, we got our shipment of wood yesterday. We're short by 18 tons.
Todd: Our wood supplier must've made a mistake. I could've sworn that I ordered the right amount.
Chris: You'd better go back and double-check your order.
Todd: Oops, you're right. I accidentally ordered two tons instead of twenty. No big deal. I'll just put in another order.
Chris: When filling out order forms, you need to dot your i's and cross your t's. You shouldn't be making careless mistakes like this.
Todd: I just forgot to add a zero after the two. Don't make a mountain out of a molehill. No need to blow things out of proportion.
Chris: This is very serious. Now we won't have enough wood to finish the furniture order we got from La-Z Boy.
Todd: Okay, sorry I dropped the ball.
Chris: Todd, this may be a bitter pill to swallow, but your work lately hasn't been up to scratch. You've really been asleep at the wheel!
IDIOMS & EXPRESSIONS - LESSON 13
I could've sworn that...
I really thought that; I was convinced that
example: You didn't know we already hired somebody for the sales director position? I could've sworn that I told you.
note: "Sworn" is the past perfect tense of "swear."
no big deal
it's not a problem
example: Our coffee machine broke? No big deal. Our employees will just have to go to Starbucks until we get a new one.
(to) dot your i's and cross your t's
to be very careful; to pay attention to details
example: When preparing financial statements, accuracy is very important. Be sure to dot your i's and cross your t's.
(to) make a mountain out of a molehill
to make a big deal out of something small or insignificant
example: Don't be angry at your boss for not complimenting you on your presentation. He probably just forgot. Don't make a mountain out of a molehill.
(to) blow things out of proportion
to exaggerate; to make more of something than one should
example: Our CEO says that if we don't meet our sales target for the month, our company is going to go out of business. He's probably blowing things out of proportion.
(to) drop the ball
to make a mistake; to fail; to do something poorly
example: You forgot to submit the budget? You really dropped the ball!
origin: When a football player drops the ball, his team may lose the chance to score.
bitter pill to swallow
bad news; something unpleasant to accept
example: After Gina spent her whole summer working as an intern for American Express, failing to get a full-time job offer from the company was a bitter pill to swallow.
up to scratch
good; at the expected level
example: Your customer service call center isn't up to scratch. They put me on hold for 45 minutes!
note: You will usually hear this expression in the negative: not up
to scratch. __________ ^^^
asleep at the wheel
not performing well; neglecting responsibilities; not paying
attention to what's going on
example: The dental hygienist was asleep at the wheel. She
accidentally left a big piece of dental floss in the patient's mouth!
synonyms: asleep at the switch; out to lunch
practice the idioms
Fill in the blanks using the following idioms:
Lesson 14
up to scratch dot your i's and cross your t's
asleep at the wheel no big deal
bitter pill to swallow I could've sworn that
drop the ball blow things out of proportion
Ryan: Eric, we got fifty phone calls this week complaining that our spicy nacho chips are much too spicy. Do you have the machine set correctly?
Eric: Let me check...No, we've got the machine set wrong. It's
putting in three times too much hot pepper. That's strange.
_____ (1)_____ I checked it this morning and it was okay.
Ryan: Oh, for heaven's sake! How could you_____ (2)_____ like
this? You must be (3)_____.
Eric: Ryan, please don't____ (4)_____. It's really (5)____.
I'll just turn this knob right now and adjust the setting.
Ryan: In the future, please be sure to_____ (6)_____.
Eric: No need to make a mountain out of a molehill. It's just one little mistake. Some people prefer extra spicy nacho chips anyway!
Ryan: It's not just one little mistake. Lately, your work hasn't been
_____ (7)_____. This may be a (8) _____, but several
of us have noticed that your performance has been poor for the past six months.
ANSWERS TO LESSON 13, p. 192
TAKING CREDIT FOR GOOD RESULTS
When United Supply Company launches their website three weeks ahead of schedule, there's more than one person ready to take credit.
Bob: Kurt, I've got great news for you. We're pushing the envelope and launching our new website three weeks ahead of schedule.
Kurt: Wow, Bob, that's a first for this company! How did you pull that off?
Bob: I burned the midnight oil over these past few weeks. I worked my tail off. Sometimes things would get tough, but I always kept my eye on the prize.
Tar a: Let's not forget about Jim in technical support. He really hunkered down these past few days, working around the clock.
Bob: Yeah, Jim's a real team player. He helped a lot.
Kurt: Well, that's not surprising. Jim's always ready to pitch in.
Bob: Of course, you deserve a pat on the back too, Kurt. None of this would've been possible without your leadership.
Kurt: All in a day's work. Providing great leadership comes with the territory. Well, time for some R&R. I'm off to Florida to play golf for a few days. See you next week!
IDIOMS & EXPRESSIONS - LESSON 14
(to) push the envelope
to go beyond what is normally done; to stretch the boundaries
example: The design team pushed the envelope by creating a car powered entirely by the sun.
(to) pull something off
to accomplish a difficult task; to successfully do something difficult
example: We need to prepare and mail out 50,000 media kits by tomorrow. I don't know how we're going to pull it off!
synonym: to carry something off
(to) burn the midnight oil
to stay up late working or studying
example: The bank needs our financial statements completed by 9 a.m. tomorrow. We're going to need to burn the midnight oil tonight to finish on time.
origin: This expression dates back to the days before electricity, when oil lamps were used for lighting. People went to sleep earlier back then, so if you were still burning the oil at midnight, you were staying up late.
(to) work one's tail off
see Lesson 11
(to) keep one's eye on the prize
to stay focused on the end result; to not let small problems get in the way of good results
example: I know it's difficult going to class after work, but just keep your eye on the prize. At the end of next year, you'll have your MBA.
note: You will also see the variation: keep one's eves on the prize.
(to) hunker down
to focus on work; to get ready to work hard, often involving a long period of time
example: If you're going to finish that report by Monday morning, you'd better hunker down over the weekend.
note: This phrase also means to stay indoors or to take shelter when the weather turns bad. Example: There's going to be a blizzard tonight. We'd better just hunker down.
around the clock
non-stop; 24 hours a day
example: When the company website went down, the IT department worked around the clock to fix it.
note: You may also hear the variation: round the clock.
team player
somebody willing to help out for the benefit of the group
example: Aaron is great at working with others, and he always contributes a lot to projects. Everybody knows he's a team player!
(to) pitch in
to help; to contribute
example: If we're going to get these 3,000 crystal vases packaged and shipped by tomorrow morning, everybody's going to need to pitch in.
a pat on the back
see Lesson 6
11 in a day's work
this is just part of the job; this is nothing unusual
sample: "You've come up with a plan to double our sales next quarter?" — "Yes, all in a day's work."
(to) come with the territory
to be part of the job
example: Samantha doesn't like firing people, but as a vice president, she knows that comes with the territory.
R&R
rest and relaxation *
example: Brad and Melanie got plenty of R&R during their two-week vacation in the Caribbean.
practice the idioms
Choose the best substitute for the phrase or sentence in bold:
1) Your small company is trying to get distribution at Wal-Mart?
How are you going to pull that off?
a) succeed in doing that
b) fail to do that
c) compete with them
2) If you need help answering phones and taking orders, I'd be
happy to pitch in.
a) hang up on the customers
b) help
c) call
3) When you're the CEO of a tobacco company, dealing with
lawsuits comes with the territory.
a) is a great benefit
b) is easily avoided
c) is part of the job
4) If we're going to get all of these orders shipped in time for
Christmas, we're going to have to hunker down!
a) close for the holidays
b) work really hard
c) take it easy
5) During the negotiation, keep your eye on the prize and don't
let the other side pressure you into a bad deal.
a) watch the prize carefully
b) stay focused on what's really important
c) grab everything for yourself
6) You think consumers will be willing to pay $50,000 for a high-
tech toilet? That's pushing the envelope.
a) testing the limits of what people will pay
b) a very reasonable price
c) not something to be flushed down a toilet
7) You look exhausted. Why don't you take a few days off and get
some R&R?
a) spend some time relaxing
b) take a trip by train
c) work extra hours
8) If we want to submit the business plan by tomorrow afternoon,
we're going to have to burn the midnight oil tonight.
a) work until 7 p.m.
b) relax
c) work very late
ANSWERS TO LESSON 14, p. 192
|
Stop trying to pass the buck.
Lesson 15
SHIFTING BLAME
Rick and Ellen work for Attic Treasures Antiques, an antique shop. Max is the owner of the shop. Recently, a woman came in and sold them $10,000 worth of "antique" jewelry. Max takes one look at the jewelry and realizes it's fake.
Max: I can't believe you two bought these fake antique necklaces! Didn't you examine them before shelling out 10 grand?
Rick: Yeah, I thought they were fake, but I let Ellen talk me into buying them.
Ellen: What? I can't believe my ears! You thought they were real. Now you're just trying to cover yourself!
Rick: I don't want to be the fall guy here, Ellen. You were the one who looked at them under a magnifying glass.
Ellen: For the record, you were the one going on about how you "struck gold" right after the woman left the shop!
Rick: I don't remember saying that. Stop trying to pass the buck. Just step up to the plate and admit your mistake!
Ellen: Right, while you wash your hands of the whole thing. Dream on!
Max: Let's stop pointing fingers at each other. We need to track down that woman and get the money back!
IDIOMS & EXPRESSIONS - LESSON 15
(to) shell out
to pay (often more than one would like)
example: The fast food chain had to shell out $ 10 million in a lawsuit after several people got sick from eating their hamburgers.
(to) talk someone into something
to convince someone to do something, often something that one later regrets
example: Our president doesn't want to give us Christmas Eve off as a holiday. We're hoping our office manager can talk him into it.
I can't believe my ears!
I'm very surprised!
example: Chris got fired? I can't believe my ears! He was one
of our top salespeople!
(to) cover oneself
to try to avoid being blamed for something; to protect oneself from blame
example: Nina knew her company was producing a defective product. She covered herself by keeping records of all of her letters and e-mails to her boss about the issue.
note: You may hear the more vulgar form of this expression: cover your ass, or the shortened version "CYA." Since "ass" is a vulgar word, some people use more polite variations of this expression, such as "cover your behind" and "cover your butt."
fall guy
the person who gets blamed for a mistake, sometimes unfairly
example: The company's entire management team wanted to enter the market in China. When the business failed there, they made Fred the fall guy and fired him.
for the record
see Lesson4
(to) go on about
to talk too long about; to talk for a long time about (always said as a criticism); to brag
example: Bill is always going on about what a great salesman he is.
(to) strike gold
to make a very profitable deal; to discover something valuable
example: Christie struck gold with the idea of selling videos at discount prices on eBay.
(to) pass the buck
to shift the blame; to blame somebody else
example: It's your fault. Don't try to pass the buck!
origin: This expression comes from the world of poker. In the nineteenth century, a knife with a buckhorn handle (the "buck") was passed to the next dealer when it was his turn to give out the cards.
(to) step up to the plate
see Lesson 4
(to) wash one's hands of
to remove any association with; to stop being part of something; to refuse to take responsibility for
example: When Molly realized her business partners were selling stolen goods, she decided to wash her hands of the whole business.
origin: This expression comes from the Bible. Pontius Pilate, a Roman official, announced before a crowd that he wouldn't save Jesus from execution. Then he washed his hands in front of the crowd, symbolically washing away the responsibility.
Dream on!
That's what you'd like, but it's not realistic.
example: You want to retire in five years, and you've only got $5,000 in the bank? Dream on!
(to) point fingers at each other / (to) point the finger at someone
to blame
example: Don't point the finger at me! You need to take the blame for this mistake.
(to) track something down
to find, usually with difficulty
example: Sheila left an important file in a taxi, and now she's going to have to track it down.
practice the idioms
Choose the most appropriate response to the following:
1) Please don't try to talk me into exhibiting at your trade show this year.
a) Okay, I'll sign you up.
b) Okay, I'll call you tomorrow to talk about it some more.
c) Okay, if you're sure you're not interested, I won't ask
again.
2) I can't find Sam's address anywhere. Do you think you can help me track it down?
a) Yes, I'd be happy to track it.
b) Sure, I'll help you find it.
c) No, but I'll help you find it.
3) We've already shelled out enough on advertising this year.
a) I agree. Let's spend more.
b) I know we've spent a lot, but I think we should do a couple
more radio ads.
c) I disagree. We've already spent a lot of money on advertising.
4) You think you'll be accepted to Harvard Business School?
Dream on!
a) You may not agree, but I think it's a realistic goal.
b) Right, I'll just go to sleep and dream about it.
c) Thanks for helping me think big.
5) I had nothing to do with the disastrous decision to hire Dennis.
Don't point the ringer at me!
a) I'm not pointing the finger, but I am blaming you.
b) Good. I'm glad you're willing to take the blame.
c) Okay, I won't blame you.
6) I think we've struck gold with our idea to sell content on our
website instead of giving it away for free. What do you think?
a) I agree. It's a great idea.
b) I agree. Nobody's going to be willing to pay for it.
c) I agree. We should sell silver and bronze on the site too.
7) You need to take responsibility for our accounting problems.
Stop trying to pass the buck!
a) Okay, I won't pass it anymore. You can have it.
b) I already passed the buck.
c) I'm not trying to pass the buck. I admit I made a mistake.
8) You finally got promoted, and now you're leaving your company
and opening a health food store? I can't believe my ears!
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